Just Ask Terry

My teenage son suffers from acne on his face, shoulders, and back.

Q. Dear Terry, “My teenage son suffers from acne on his face, shoulders, and back. It makes him so self-conscious and I feel it is starting to affect his mood and social life. I want him to thrive and be confident in whatever he does. Do you have anything that could help?” — Toni L., Madison, WI

A. Dear Toni, There are many factors that play a role in the development of acne like toxins, stress, and poor diet. I think the first step is to examine your son’s diet and eliminate all refined carbohydrates, grains, sugars, and soft drinks. Even though we often think of treating skin issues externally, healthy skin is actually more about what’s going on inside of the body than outside it.

When it comes to preventing or treating acne, I believe a nutritional approach including vitamins, minerals, and herbs, can provide some excellent results. I recommend a combination of vitamins (A, B6, pantothenic acid, and C) and minerals (chromium, potassium and zinc), along with sulfur, burdock, and boswellia. These ingredients are crucial for balancing oil production, restoring healthy bacterial balance, and improving overall skin integrity.

I would have your son take these ingredients twice daily.

As you are probably aware, skin issues can take some time to resolve. I would try the recommendations outlined here for at least 60 days. Some people may respond right away, in as little as 1 to 2 weeks, but others may need more time to help correct the issues that led to the acne.

For additional support, you could also include a clinically studied sea buckthorn extract and a high-quality probiotic that includes the human strains Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Bifidobacterium bifidum. Sea buckthorn supplies a wide range of valuable omega fatty acids, including the rare omega-7 fatty acid. Probiotics help improve gut bacterial balance, which is great for our overall health.